Ethical questions raised in Baltimore County zoning hearing

[buzzthefuzz]

http://dundalk.patch.com/blog_posts/...zoning-hearing

This issue has been raised by the Sun in numerous editorials and articles.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/201...blic-officials

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/201...john-olszewski

My question is, should this planning board member recuse himself on the zoning of this property.

[buzzthefuzz]

An interesting thought. How does Mr. Vontran approach the community with a set of plans to build a government center housing a police precinct among other things, when under the county charter, it requires the bid process.

[Mitchum]

Why do you keep spamming the board with post on the same topic?

The community supports the development. From the link on your last post on the very same topic.

According to one community association president who attended the meeting, “everyone thought this was a great idea.”

[county resident]

The law is the law. And money is money. Flowing right into politicians pockets

[buzzthefuzz]

Why do you keep spamming the board with post on the same topic?

The community supports the development. From the link on your last post on the very same topic.

According to one community association president who attended the meeting, “everyone thought this was a great idea.”

That community you speak of was hand picked by he developer. Sorta like stacking the deck if you will.

At the zoning hearing all of those that spoke were against it. I have a problem with this press version. Those in the one article were supporters of the developer. Not exactly an impartial observation of the project.

Something else you need to know. How can the developer tout plans to build a project that must, according to law, go out on a bid? Why would he go to all the trouble to line up selected support, draw up plans and present them in a private meeting unless there is something he wants to keep secret.

He turned down several opportunities to meet with community groups that were going to pose some tough questions. I guess he felt he did not want to answer those questions.

To me it appears the process is more about your political connections than a process that is fair and open.

[buzzthefuzz]

The law is the law. And money is money. Flowing right into politicians pockets

County, in this case I would not argue with you. Yorkway is a long way from being complete and it's been three years.

What is that saying that requires you to finish one project before beginning another.

[Mitchum]

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about Buzz.

[buzzthefuzz]

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about Buzz.

Mitch, then you admit I would have been a good politician.

[Mitchum]

Not "would have". You are still a politician with your crappy, sour grapes smear campaign.

You would have made a horrible elected official and the voters know that. That's why you didn't win.

[buzzthefuzz]

Not "would have". You are still a politician with your crappy, sour grapes smear campaign.

You would have made a horrible elected official and the voters know that. That's why you didn't win.

There are so many false assumptions in your analogy that you will have to read the whole link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smear_campaign

Basically a smear campaign involves the writing of untruths as in libel, or reporting what is untrue. I have never done that. In fact I have a lawyer look over the material I write.

What I do is a word you are not familiar with or need to look up the definition, - political discourse.

I am out of politics and have no desire to reenter that fray.

Now as to the current state of affairs it seems Batimore County is lagging behind as posted in another thread on this site. You might want to look at it and comment.

If we apply your standards being at the bottom of the barrel is acceptable. To me it is not.

This link was the one I was referring to.

http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/...tcomes/overall

[buzzthefuzz]

The county has issued a permit to tear the building down. The question is when?

http://dundalkeagle.com/component/co...te-to-be-razed

[Mitchum]

Why are you against Senior Housing when you are a Senior yourself?

"Once the site is completely cleared, Vontran hopes to begin developing the site for senior-preferred housing."

Seems to me if you get on board early you can be the Rooster in the henhouse.

[buzzthefuzz]

Why are you against Senior Housing when you are a Senior yourself?

"Once the site is completely cleared, Vontran hopes to begin developing the site for senior-preferred housing."

Seems to me if you get on board early you can be the Rooster in the henhouse.

Come on Mitch, the deal hinges on more than his making a statement about beginning a process.

There are several similar senior projects in Dundalk and more on the way.

His Yorkway deal is a long way from being done and that was on the taxpayers dime. The housing market is a long way from being to the point where the money guys will be taking any risk.

Vontran is not the money guy. He is one of the dots that is connected.

[Mitchum]

It just sounds like a big conspiracy theory on your part.

The Yorkway project involved tearing down a bunch of Section 8 housing and replaced it with nice houses. The Police department was getting something like 3500 calls a year from there. Now they get next to none.

In your World, that is a bad thing ???

[buzzthefuzz]

It just sounds like a big conspiracy theory on your part.

The Yorkway project involved tearing down a bunch of Section 8 housing and replaced it with nice houses. The Police department was getting something like 3500 calls a year from there. Now they get next to none.

In your World, that is a bad thing ???

Mitch:

Police 101, tearing down buildings does not stop crime. It simply disperses it. They go up the street, across it or somewhere else in the neighborhood. It's where their families, friends and businesses are. They are not about to walk away from that.

In fact the crime stats for that area actually went up. You never saw that in the news.

You and I get some good banter going here. I like that. You ask some good questions. That's what this process is all about.

[Mitchum]

Link to the crime stats?

[buzzthefuzz]

Link to the crime stats?

The only link is the articles published in various papers as reported by the councilman. I'll do a search and see if I can come up with them.

My best guess is that the councilman called and asked for the number of calls for service from the apartment complex and used those figures.

When they used the figures the simply referred to them as police calls and not criminal conduct.